Improvement in projectile-torpedoes



M. COLONBY. Projeotile-Torpedo.

Patented Dec. 16,1879.

tran STATES.-151i'rieur"OFFICE.N

AllIYRON OOLONEY, OF S'Il.Y LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN-EIGI-ITHS OE HIS RIGHT` TO JAMES HENRY MCLEAN, OF SAME PLAGE.

iMPRovi-:MEVNT IN PRoJECTiLE-.Toapeoos Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,669, dated December 16, 1879; application filed September 19, 18'28.

Y To all 'whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON OOLONEY, of the city and county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved ProjectileTorpedo, ot' which the following `is a specification. r

The subject of my invention is a torpedo adapted to be tired 'from a gun.

The'said projectile-torpedo is constructed with an explosivechamber in front, provided with a time tiring apparatus, one or more ilotation-chambers at back, and one or more zones or" horsesboeanagnets arranged in circumferential tiers, with their polespresented outward, so as to draw and attach the torpedo` to any iron Kbody which it may approach.

To hold the magnets tirmly in position, wooden disks are interposed between the tiers of magnets, the whole being firmly bolted together, so as to form a nearly solid cylindrical body.

The explosive agent. I prefer to employ is nitro-glycerine applied in partiallyiilled rub' ber balls arranged .in tiers, between which are interpised diaphragms of soft rubber to prevent premature explosion by concussion in h'ring from the gun.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it Withreerence to the accompanying drawings,

Y in which i Figure l is a side elevation oi' the projectile- 'torpedo. liig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the liuc 3 3 ot' Figs. l and 2.

A is the head ot' the torpedo, constituting the explosive shell. Ii is the base, constitut ing an Aair-chamber ior dotation. O (l O are the rubber balls, partially filled with nitroglycerine and arranged in tiers within the shell )i .l ,D I) are disks oi" soft rubber interposed between the balls O O to prevent concussiou. i

E represents a time-fuse, preferably run by clock-work, and eniployedto produce the explosion at any desired period. Gunpowder iilled into the interstices between the balls O O, to communicate fire throughout the exploding charge. p

M M M represent'horseshoe-magnetsarranged, as shown, in radial position in circurniereniial tiers .around the waist of the projectile, and tired` in position by means of interposed wooden disks N and loiigit-udinal bolts O. I thus form the magnetic zone into a nearly solid cylindrical body, and the magnets being arranged with their poles: presented outward'in every direction, they are adapted4 to draw the projeetileinto close contact with any iron body which it may approach, and so hold it until the charge is fired and the work is done.

I prefer to arrange the magnets 4in two zones, as shown, with a second air-chamber, G, interposed between them.

A projectile twelve feet long and twenty inches indianreter may be made'to' weigh, when charged, about one thousand pounds, and as it will have a water-displacement ot' fully one thousand threehundred and lsixty pounds,about oue-fourth of its length will be out of water when it comes to rest, andthe projectile is thus adapted to cling beneath the bilge of an iron vessel with the explosive shell well. underneath. l

Having thus described my'invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire' to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A projectiletorpedo constructed with an explosive-chamber, one or more tlotationchambers, and one or more zones of magnets to adapt the torpedo to attach itself' to an iron body, substantially as set forth.

2. A torpedo providedwith one or more zones of magnets, M, arranged radially in circumferential tiers, with their poles presented outward, substantially as and i'or the purpose set forth. v

3. The circumferential tiers of radial magnets M, interposed disks N, and bolts O, coin bined substantially as and tor-the purposes herein set forth.

4. A shell or torpedo charged with al1 ex plosive compound contained in balls of elastic material arranged in tiers separated by disks of elastic material, as herein shown and described. Y

5. A shell or torpedo constructed with an explosive-chamber, one or more lieta-tionchambers, one or more zones of magnets, and a time firing apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An explosive projectile provided with magnets to adapt it to attach itself to an iron v 

